Gracie Wagner
Gracie was a communications intern with American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) this summer as the final chapter of her ANS degree. She spent most of her time writing and editing blogs, email campaigns, and coordinating social media posts. Her internship was a remote position, but she had the opportunity to go up to Virginia and attend AFIA board meetings. Through that experience, Gracie said, “I was able to make a lot of connections as well as understand the organization better.”
Her favorite part was learning communication skills firsthand. Gracie took this internship as an opportunity to learn about an area that she was not very familiar with. she said, “I am not an ag. comm. major, so it has been a learning experience”. She said she sharpened her writing skills and interviewing skills-which are both essential for her as a new graduate.
As far as the most beneficial part of her experience, Gracie said, “This internship has helped me learn different ways to communicate the information I learned as an Animal Sciences student more effectively with the community.”
Marissa Klimczak
Marissa’s internship was with the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch, a local non-profit organization located in Citra, Florida. Her day-to-day included feeding, grooming, medically tending to the horses, assisting with riding, helping with record keeping, and keeping the property organized and clean.
She has also helped with launching a new fundraiser, the “Foster-A-Horse” program, which will help fund therapeutic riding on the
ranch. This program’s goal is to help fund the equine program at the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch and to also bring awareness to the benefits of the program for local youth.
Marissa has come to care deeply about this youth ranch, as well as the importance of non-profit organizations. She said that her internship experience enhanced her undergraduate experience by, “[Making] me realize how hard 501C(3) organizations can be to run, especially one with an equine program. Being a part of a nonprofit organization has really taught me how to just live life as it is, and to do my best even when it’s hard. I would highly recommend working for a non-profit at least once, even if it’s through volunteering.”
2022 Animal Sciences Internship Seminar
Join us at the Animal Sciences Department’s Internship Seminar on Thursday, October 20th at the UF/IFAS Straughn Professional Development Center. Students, educators, employers, and friends are invited to join us as we hear from over 40 current students showcasing their internships. Career Hour will begin at 5:00 PM with representatives from various agricultural enterprises looking to host an intern. And our students will begin their presentations at 6:00 PM.
Employers are encouraged to participate in the Career Hour at 5:00 PM. This is a unique opportunity to network with UF Animal Sciences students eager to explore agricultural enterprises. Students will range from those looking for internships to those interested in a part or full-time position. This is an excellent opportunity to recruit some of UF’s best and brightest students.
Find more information about the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences on our website. Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Any questions or inquiries regarding this piece should be directed toward Savannah Linzmaier at slinzmaier@ufl.edu. Read more stories like this one here: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/animalsciencesdept/.
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